McLaren F1 team in final push to hire Vettel or Alonso - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com McLaren is making a final push to convince Sebastian Vettel or Fernando Alonso to lead the team in its new Honda era, AUTOSPORT has learned. Team chiefs Eric Boullier and Ron Dennis are focusing their efforts on securing the two highly-rated F1's top stars as soon as they can. Although both drivers are under contract for the immediate future - with Vettel committed at Red Bull until the end of 2015 and Alonso a year longer at Ferrari - that has not proved a turn-off for McLaren. Button's F1 future remains uncertain In fact, the team is eager to get a firm commitment on both drivers' plans over the next few years, and has told them it is ready to wait until 2016 or 2017 for them if it must. Getting such a commitment now would then allow it to finalise driver plans in the shorter term, or even open the door on a deal being reached to land its big star earlier. This is why McLaren is refusing to sort out its 2015 line-up until it knows exactly what Vettel and Alonso are doing longer term, which means current drivers Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button are being left in limbo. Speaking exclusively to AUTOSPORT, racing director Boullier made it clear that McLaren was doing all it could to win over Vettel and Alonso, and would refuse to give up its chase until both drivers had categorically said no. When asked about the chances of getting one of the big star names, Boullier said: "I will try any driver that will suit our strategy for the future. "We are still pushing and we will take the time we need. We don't want to do a mistake - we have one shot and we don't want to miss it. "McLaren is a top team, a big team, with a lot of history and we want to be back where we should be. "So if we can afford to take the time to think and to prepare our strategy then we have to do it." It is understood that McLaren has been told it will get an answer from Vettel and Alonso very soon, and it wants to sort out its 2015 driver plans before the final flyaway races that begin with the Singapore Grand Prix next month. Boullier refused to elaborate on the exact timing of a decision, but made clear it would not wait until the winter before knowing its 2015 line-up. "It will be soon, a few weeks," he said.
How is that even possible?....... There's nobody on the planet as good as Hammy! I think I just heard Toils head exploding. Cheers, Ian
Letting Button go will be just the latest mistake in Dennis' portfolio and give the team the 5th different driver in 4 years. Way to go!
... the beginning of the end for F1, Ecclestone is set to lose three teams for 2015. Maybe four. Smart money's left F1; only stupid money's going in - Samuel.
Did Bernie tell you this? I can only guess you may have lost a friend or something in a Motorsport accident. In which case I sympathize. Regardless, your constant trolling of a motorsport enthusiast site with your hatred for the sport is becoming more than tiring. Please take your BS to 'greenies weekly' or wherever. I'm pretty tolerant to many views, but your comments in the Tony Stewart thread are way, way, beyond stupid. FWIW, you too have been added to my ignore list. And that list is short. But distinguished. Ian
Fred will stay put but I fear Ferrari needs another couple years to get their act together. Mclaren is a safer bet but I expect Fred will stay put while Vettel may try and get mclaren as a team built around him, it could be his only chance.
+1 We're not losing ''3 or 4'' teams. I can maybe see Lotus and Caterham folding. Bernie promises everyone there will at least be 20 cars on the grid, so he'll have to go into his own pockets to make sure caterham (the cheapest one) to stay alive until 2016. We can't suddenly have 3 car teams for 2015...the logistics just don't work. Drivers are now under contracts etc, smaller teams suddenly have to find a huge (for them) amount of money to field another car (all in this would likely add another 1-1.5m per race for them at least). We can be pretty sure that Bernie keeps a close eye on what the poorer teams are up to financially. He would know if a team is on it's way out and the 3 car teams would've been known much earlier this season so everyone can compensate.
... my guess, F1's 3rd driver era, beginning 2015: Mercedes-Benz: - Hamilton & Rosberg; plus André Lotterer or Hülkenberg or Stoffel Vandoorne; McLaren-Honda: - Vettel & Grosjean; plus Kobyashi, Magnussen or Jolyon Palmer or Stoffel Vandoorne; Renault (Red Bull): - Ricciardo & Buemi; plus Carlos Sainz Jr.; Williams F1: - Massa & Bottas; plus Felipe Nasr or Suzi Wolff; FIAT: - Alonsa & Raikkonen; plus Button or Perez; Toro Rosso: - Kvyat and Verstappen; no 3rd car; Haas (Ferrari's new B-team) - Bianchi and Alex Rossi; 3rd car for Danica Patrick; Force India (doubtful for 2015) - Perez & Hulkenberg; 3rd car for Sutil if Sauber folds; Lotus (if the PDVSA money's still there): - Maldonado and another pay driver (e.g., Estaban Guiterrez); no 3rd driver; Sauber: - Bankrupt Caterham: - bankrupt Marussia: - bankrupt //////////////////////////////////////////
Like i said..no idea why Ron Dennis would want to replace Button and K Mag after yesterday's performance. But then again, RD is an arrogant man.
Silly season it is but this is a nice article by McNish from the BBC. BBC Sport - F1: Ferrari must hold on to Alonso, but could lose Raikkonen
I would think the allusion was FA is passionate and enhances the already 'passionate' atmosphere at the team.
A cautious Jenson Button admits he doesn't know when his 2015 plans will be resolved | Jenson Button Profile | Formula 1 | Sky Sports JB still does not have a deal. I dont see him staying.
Me neither. Bianchi has said he's ready to replace Alonso for 2015 if he leaves... Vettels contract ends end of 2015; perhaps if Kimi retires Vettel will come to Ferrari. I'd rather see Vettel/Raikkonen and subsequently Vettel/Bottas but you can't have everything...
